The absence of luggage in it, when they opened the door, showed that it had not yet been let.
'You see ?' said the Countess, pointing to the carved figure at the fire-place; 'and you know what to do.

Have I deserved that you should temper justice with mercy ?' she went on in lower tones.

'Give me a few hours more to myself.

The Baron wants money--I must get on with my play.' She smiled vacantly, and imitated the action of writing with her right hand as she pronounced the last words.

The effort of concentrating her weakened mind on other and less familiar topics than the constant want of money in the Baron's lifetime, and the vague prospect of gain from the still unfinished play, had evidently exhausted her poor reserves of strength.